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Home , Acts 21, Acts 23, Acts 24, Acts 28

2/1/2016

8. :15–28:31 Paul’s Arrest in , Trials in Caesarea, and Journey to

“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” (:11) “Trial of Paul before II”

“Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth” Hymn no. 269 1. Jehovah, Lord of heav’n and earth, 3. Roll on thy work in all its pow’r! Thy word of truth proclaim! The distant nations bring! Oh, may it spread from pole to pole, In thy new kingdom may they stand, Till all shall know thy name; And own thee God and King; Oh, may it spread from pole to pole, In thy new kingdom may they stand, Till all shall know thy name. And own thee God and King.

2. We long to see thy Church increase, 4. One general chorus then shall rise Thine own new kingdom grow, From men of ev’ry tongue, That all the earth may live in peace, And songs of joy salute the skies, And heav’n be seen below; By ev’ry nation sung; That all the earth may live in peace, And songs of joy salute the skies, And heav’n be seen below. By ev’ry nation sung.

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Acts 21:15–28:31 Overview

• Paul in Jerusalem (21:15– 23:22) • Paul in Caesarea (23:23– 26:32) • Paul Sails for Rome (27:1– 28:10) • Paul in Rome (28:11–31)

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Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15–23:22)

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Paul Visits the Church in Jerusalem (21:15–26) • Lodges with the “Old Disciple” (21:15–17) • Interview with James (21:18–25) • James, Mnason, and other disciples whom Luke met while in Palestine may well have been sources for Luke‐Acts • After hearing about Paul’s missionary success among the Gentiles, James notes the number of Jewish there are in Jerusalem—all zealous for the law • Paul Discharges the Vows of Four Observant Disciples (21:26) • Many Jewish‐Christians are still keeping the law of ! • Remember that the only addressed Gentiles and the Law, not Jews and the Law

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Paul Arrested (21:27–23:24) • Riot in the Temple (21:27–39) • Accused of bringing the Gentile Christian into the temple • Which part? Gentiles could enter the outer court, but coming into the Israelite sections was a capital offense (see next slide) • Paul Defends Himself to the Temple Crowds (21:40–22:21) • Paul’s second conversion account (first vision of Christ: 22:1–13; cf. 9:1–9 and 26:1–18) • Paul’s Call and Mission (22:14–21) • Paul’s second vision of Christ: while praying in the temple after his conversion (22:17–21) • The Lord’s injunction, “I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles” (22:21) sends the Jewish mob into a frenzy—They did not riot at his account of his visions • Paul and the Roman Tribune (KJV “chief captain,” 22:22–29) • Paul’s citizenship spares him examination by torture • Subsequently loosed from bonds (and is henceforth under protective custody more than imprisoned)

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“This man brought Greeks also into the temple and hath polluted this holy place.”

Jerusalem Temple and Courts

Inscription Discovered from the Temple of Herod Excavations “No Gentile shall enter past the partition and barrier around the temple, and whoever is caught shall be responsible to himself for his death, which will follow.” 8. Acts 21:15–28:31 2/1/2016 7

Paul and the Jewish Authorities (21:27–23:24) • Paul and the Sanhedrin (22:30–23:10) • Paul’s training as a Pharisee causes a division in the Sanhedrin • It becomes an issue of the reality of angels, visions, and the resurrection! • The Roman tribune saves Paul again • The Lord Comforts Paul (23:11) • Fourth vision of Christ: “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.’” • First vision on Road to Damascus (:3); second in the temple after conversion (:17–21); third was in (see :9–10); a later one the vision referred to in 2 Corinthians 12:2 “when he was “caught up into heaven” • The Plot to Kill Paul (23:12–24) • “secret combination” of more than 40 Jews • Paul’s nephew informs the Roman commander of the plot

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Paul in Caesarea (Acts 23:23–26:32)

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Paul Transferred to Caesarea (23:23–35) • The Tribune sent Paul under strong guard to Caesarea, the Roman capital of • Jerusalem was unsafe • The governor had jurisdiction over all cases involving citizens like Paul

• ’ letter to Felix (23:25–30) • Interesting primary document . . . • Finally get the name of the tribune or “chief captain!”

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Before Felix (24:1–27) • , unusually a freedman (former slave), was governor A.D. 52–59 • Freedmen were notoriously corrupt (he wants money from Paul in 24:26) • The Accusation by (24:1–9) • Jew with a Roman name and with a familiarity with Roman law, retained by the Sanhedrin to prosecute their case • “. . . We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.’” (24:2, 5–6 NIV) • Paul’s Defense (24:10–21) • “My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect . . .” • “. . . I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. . . It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” (:11–21) • Paul had used the issue of resurrection divide his opponents before (see 23:6–10)

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Felix Listens to Paul Again (24:1–27) • Recess (24:22–23) • Felix was not interested in Jewish religious squabbles, such as the debate between and over the resurrection • Paul is kept in relatively loose custody, with visitors able to visit him • Was the author (Luke) able to travel around Judea in this time period, gathering information for his two books? • Felix and Drusilla Listen to Paul Again (24:24–26) • Felix had married Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa I • Paul’s preaching of “righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come” pricks his conscience! • Nevertheless, the corrupt Felix left Paul in custody for two years, hoping for bribes (24:26) • Had he heard about the large financial contributions being made by Gentile Christians to the Jerusalem church? • Festus Succeeds Felix (24:27)

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Before Festus and Agrippa (25:1–26:32) • First Trial Before Festus (25:1–12) • Festus, a new governor wanting to please the Jewish leadership, suggests that Paul be taken to Jerusalem to be tried before the Sanhedrin • Paul “appeals to Caesar” to avoid a prejudiced Jerusalem trial (25:11–12; not so much an appeal as a change in venue) • Festus Consults Herod Agrippa II (25:13– 22) • Herod Agrippa II, ruler of Galilee, and his sister Bernice come to Caesarea to pay their respects to the new governor • Festus needs to send a report along with Paul to the emperor’s staff (25:26); the Herods A BYU Jerusalem Center class on the site of the Roman judicial routinely serve as advisors on Jewish affairs hall in the palace at Caesarea. to the Romans

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Hearing before Agrippa (25:23–26:32)

• Paul’s Case Introduced (25:23–27) • Paul’s third conversion account (26:1–18) • Paul’s Call and Ministry Related (26:19–24) • “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (26:28) • Other renderings of the Greek: either “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” (26:28 NRSV) or “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (NIV) • Agrippa and Festus Deliberate • “ . . . they talked between themselves, saying, ‘This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.’ Then said Agrippa unto Festus, ‘This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.’” (26:31–32) • It was God’s plan, however, that Paul bear the word to the capital, Rome

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Paul Sails for Rome (:1–28:10)

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A Perilous Sea Voyage • From Caesarea to (27:1–12)

• The Storm (27:13–40)

• The Shipwreck (27:41–44)

• Paul on (28:1–10) • Paul Unharmed by Viper’s Bite (28:3–5)

• Paul Heals Father of Publius (28:7–10) • “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mk 16:15‐18) • Final Stages to and through (28:11–15) • Syracuse (in ) –Rhegium(in Italy) – Puteoli – Appii forum 8. Acts 21:15–28:31 2/1/2016 16

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Paul in Rome (:11–31)

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Paul Preaches in Rome under Guard (28:17–31)

• “Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and…said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had [anything] to accuse my nation of…For the hope of Israel [i.e. the resurrection?] I am bound with this chain.” (Acts 28:17‐20) • “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (Acts 28:30‐31) • Luke ends here because the gospel has now been taken “to the ends of the earth”

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Acts in Review “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (1:8)

• The Structure of Acts and the • Major Teachings and Practices in Acts Commission of Jesus • Christology (person and work of Jesus) • Jerusalem • Apostles, qualifications and calls of • Missions in Samaria and Judea: Preparing • Role of the Holy Ghost (baptism of fire, for the “Turn to the Gentiles” direction of, gifts signs of) • “Unto the uttermost part of the earth” • God is no respecter of persons • Missions of and Saul • Faith in Christ leads to repentance and • The Jerusalem Council on Gentile Christians baptism • Missions of Paul to Minor and Greece • Men and women as the offspring of God • Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem, Trial in Caesarea, and Journey to Rome • The power of given to God’s servants (priesthood authority) • Signs follow them that believe

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